WORLD HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -In 1962 the Soviet Union began to secretly install missiles in Cuba to launch attacks on U.S. cities. The confrontation that followed, known as the Cuban missile crisis, brought the two superpowers to the brink of war before an agreement was reached to withdraw the missiles.

Detailed explanation-2: -After the Bay of Pigs incident, Cuba clearly felt threatened by the United States. Castro started to look for a closer relationship with the USSR who could offer the country protection. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev decided to agree to Cuba’s request to place nuclear missiles there to deter future harassment of Cuba.

Detailed explanation-3: -What the Kennedy administration did not know, however, was that the Soviet Union had 158 nuclear warheads of five types already in Cuba by the time of the blockade. This included nearly 100 warheads for short-range ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.

Detailed explanation-4: -Although Kennedy had the option of launching air strikes against the missile construction sites, he decided to come into terms with Khrushchev that would see the Soviets remove the missiles in exchange that the U.S. would not invade the Island. Unmistakably, the U.S. won by giving in to Khrushchev’s demands.